Sailing on a Sea of Stories: Our Experience at the Doulos Hope Floating Library - International Seaport, San Fernando, La Union

The Doulos Hope experience with my daughter: A night of books, boats and bonding

My daughter and I behind the ships while waiting for our tickets

My daughter walking to the ship of Doulos Hope

My daughter in front of the Doulos Hope ship

In front of the Doulos Hope

Buying her stuff

My daughter got her pens and notebooks

The Doulos Hope from a distance

Ships behind us

What a sight to behold!

Happy weekend, amazing people!

I've got another travel adventure tale to share, one that took place just the other night. My daughter and I decided to take a spontaneous trip to the International Seaport in San Fernando, La Union. Our destination? The Doulos Hope Floating Library. Yes, you read that right—a library on a ship!

For those who aren't familiar, Doulos Hope is a former cruise ship that has been transformed into a floating library. It is owned by the faith-based organization Operation Mobilisation and operated by the German charity Gute Bücher für Alle. Currently, it's making its rounds in Southeast Asia, providing a unique library service in shallow-water ports. As luck would have it, the ship had docked in our province of La Union, just a town away from where we live. The journey from our house to the seaport was a quick one—just half an hour by tricycle (a 3-wheeled public transportation here in the Philippines). We decided to go around 7 p.m., just before closing time, to avoid the throngs of tourists. But even at that hour, the line to the ticket booth was quite long. It took us a good 45 minutes just to get on board the ship. But the wait wasn't all bad. We snapped a few photos of the other ships at the harbor, their lights reflecting off the sea in a scene reminiscent of Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour. It was a sight to behold, and it only added to the anticipation of what awaited us on board Doulos Hope.

Once we were on board, our excitement was palpable. We were eager to explore the vast collection of books. I read a few but didn't end up buying any. My daughter, on the other hand, had a field day in the stationery section, picking out notebooks and pencils. The ship itself was massive, complete with a restaurant at the entrance. The aroma of food wafting through the air was tantalizing, to say the least. There were a few moments when the ship rocked due to the high tide. It left us a bit dizzy, but hey, that's part of the adventure, right?

In the end, our visit to Doulos Hope was nothing short of amazing. It was a unique experience that we thoroughly enjoyed. The tickets were pretty affordable too, costing only a dollar (or 50 Philippine Pesos) for adults and free for kids under 12 years old. My daughter got it free since she is only 11 years old. So, if you ever find yourself in my beautiful province of La Union and the Doulos Hope is in town, do yourself a favor and pay a visit. It's not every day you get to explore a library on a ship!

In conclusion, our trip to the Doulos Hope Floating Library was a memorable one. It was fun, educational, and a great way to spend quality time with my daughter. So, here's to more adventures and unexpected journeys! Safe travels, everyone!

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Published:
March 23, 2024, 2:15 p.m. PST
In between the farm and the beach
Philippines

(All texts, photos, and videos are my own and were taken by me unless stated otherwise; Please DO NOT copy.)

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